The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-07-14

cern-to subordinate the petty scheme
and ambitions Of the few to the welfare o
all, a grand stride will have been made il
the direction of better State govern
ment. One measure of such characte
would be but the entering wedge. The
day of new departure in the control o
Virginia's affairs is here, and if the oppor
tunity is improved, brighter future
| awaits the old Commonwealth.
The Georgia Railroad Law.
The following is the full text Of the
Georgia Railroad Law, to which allusior
was made last week lin our report of tht
proceedings Of The Farmers Meeting hello
in Charlottesville. We give it that oul
readers may carefully study its provisions
That or some similar measure may posi-
bly, play al important part in the approach
ing fall canvass:
AN ACT
Ts procide for the regulation of rai1road 1eioh
and passenger tariffs IN this State TO preuelt an
JtSt INSTRUMENTATION and ertOTti0le IN The rates
char9ea Jol, "ansp91totto1e OF passengers ana
p0rdtioS and IesseeS IN this StGte, from chaYqi0
other than Just and reasonable rates. and 10 pun
ash the some, and prescribe mode of procedure
and 7ttteS of evidence in relation thereto and IL
appoint Commissioners, and to prescribe then
foaoeTs and duties in relation to The same.
WHEREAS. 1t is made the duty of the General
Assembly, in article 4, paragraph 2. and section
of the Constitution, to pass laws from time to
time to regulate freight and passenger tariffs
to prohibit unjust determinations on the
various railroads of this Staue and to prohibit
railroads from charging other than just and
reasonable rates, and enforce the same by ade-
quate penalties therefore.
SECTION I. Be it enacted By the General as
sennbly Of Georgia, That there shall be three
Commissioners appointed by the Governor,
with the advice and consent of the senate to
carry out the provisions OF this Act, of whom
one shall be OF experience in the law, and one
of experience in railway business. After the
expiration of the terms of the Office ofthe Com
missioners first appointed, the term of Office of
successors shall be six years but, at the first
appointment, one Commissioner shall be an
pointed Tor two years, one for four years, and
one for six years. The salary OF each Commits
sioner shall be twenty-five hundred dollars to
Abe paid from the Treasury of the State ANY
Commissioners may be suspended from Office by
order of the Governor, who shall report the
fact of such suspension, and the reasons there
for to the next General Assembly, and if q ma
ority of each branch of the General Assembly
declare that said Commissioner shall be re-
moved from office. his term of office shall eX-
pire. The Governor shall have the same
power to fill vacancies in the Office of Colnmis-
sioner as to fill other vacancies, and if for any
reason, said Commissioners are not appointed
during the present session OF the General As
sembly, the Governor shall appoint them there
AFTER and report to the next Senate but the
time until then shall not be counted as part of
the term of office of said Commissioners, re
SpectiVely, as herein provided. Said Commits
sioners shall take an oath of office to be framed
by the Governor and Shall not, Jointly or sew
orally, or in any way, be the holders of any
railroad stock o. bonds, or be the agent or en-
ploye at any railroad company. or have any in
terest in any way in any railroad, and shall so
continue during the term of office and in case
any Commissioner becomes disqualified in any
way, he shall at one remove the disqualification
or resign, and on failure to do so, he must be
suspended from Office by the Governor. ana
dealt With as hereinafter provided. in any
case of suspension the Governor may fill the
vacancy until the suspended Commissioner is
restored or removed.
SEC. IL. That said Commissioners shall be
furnished with an office, necessary furniture
and stationery, and may employ a secretary or
clerk at a salary of twelve hundred dollars at
the expense of the State. The Office of said
Commissioners shall be kept in Atlanta, and
all sums of money authorized to be paid by this
Act out of the State Treasury shall be paid only
on the order of the Governor: Pr0rided that
the total sum to be expended by said Commits
sioners for office rent furniture and stationery
snail, IN no case, exceed Jne sum OF i've hum
dred dollars (500-00), or so much thereof as NAV
be necessary, per annum.
SEC. Ill That from and after the passage OF
this act if any railroad corporation, organized
doing business in this State, under any act
of incorporation or general law Of this State
now in force, or which may hereafter be enacted
any railroad corporation organized, or which
may hereafter be organizee under the laws of
any Oiu0T Sbdbe, dl1u uOlllS business IN this
State, shall charge, collect, demand or receive
more than a fair and reasonable rate of toll or
compensation for the transportation OF passen-
gers or freight of any description, or for the
and transportation OF any railroad car upon
it's track or any of its branches thereof, or npon
any railroad within this state which il has the
right, license or permission to use operate or
CONTROL the same shall be deemed guilty ofeX-
tortion and, upon conviction thereof, shall be
dealt with as hereinafter provided.
SEC. ~. That if any railroad corporation as
aforesaid shall make any unjust discrimination
for the transportation of passengers or frelghts
of any description, or for the use and transpor.
tation of any RAILROAD car upon its said road or
upon any of the branches thereof. or upon any
railroads connected Herewith which 1t has
the right, license, or permission to operate,
control or use within this State The same sha II
be deemed guilty OF having violated the nro-
visions of this Act and, upon conviction there
of, shall be dealt with as hereinafter provided
SEC V. That the Commissioners appointed
as hereinbefore provided, shall, as provided in
the next section OF this Act, make reasonable
and Just rates OF 1relght ana passenger tariffs,
to be observed by all railroad companies doing
business in this State on the railroads thereof:
shall make reasonable and just rules and reeu-
lations, to be observed by all railroad COM
panies doing business in this State as to
charges at any and all points, for the necessary
handling and delivering OF freights shall make
such just and reasonable rules and regulations
as may be necessary for preventing unjust dis
examinations in the transportation of freight
and passengers on the railroads in this State
shall make reasonable and Just rates Of charges
for use of railroad carrying any and all |
kinds Of freight and passengers on said rail
roads, no matter by whom owned or carried |
and shall make just and reasonable rules and
regulations, to be observed by said railroad |
companies on said railroads, to prevent the |
giving paying of any rebate bonus, directly
or indirectly and from misleading or deceiying
the public in any manner as to the real rates |
charged for freight and passengers: ProUioled |
that nothing in this Act contained shall be |
taken as in any manner abridging or control |
road company in this State fol. carrying freight
which comes from or goes beyond the bo9n- |
DIARIES of the state, and on which freights less
than local rates on any railroad carrying the
same are charged by such railroad, but said |
railroad companies shall possess the same |
power and right to charge such rates for carry !
ing such fre1ghts as they possessed before tie |
passage of this Act; and said Commissioners |
Shall have full power by rules and regulations |
to designate and fix the difference in rates Of |
freight and passenger transportation, to be |
allowed for longer and shorter distances on the |
same or different railroads. and to ascertain |
what shall be the limits of longer and shorter !
SEC. Vi. That the said Railroad Commission
ers are hereby authorized and required to |
make for each of the railroad corporations do.
ing business in this State, as soon as practica-
BILE a schedule of Just and reasonable rates of |
charges for the transportation of passengers
and freghts and cars on each of said railroads
and said schedule SHALL in suits brought against
any such railroad corporations wherein is in
Volved the charges of any such railrQad cor
poratOn for the transportation Of any passen-
ger or freight OF fars or unjust discrimination
in relation thereto, be deemed and taken in all
courts of this State as sufficient evidence that
the rates therein fixed are Just and reasonable
rates of charges for the trans pOrtatiou of pas
sengers and freights and cars upon the rail-
roads; and said Commissioners shall, from
time to time, and as often circunst stances
may require change and revise said schedules
When any Schedule shall have been made or
revised, aforesaid. it shall be the duty OF said
commissioners TO cause publication thereof 10
be made for one time in some ppAIiQ newspa-
per published in the CITIES Of Atlanta. Augusta,
a lhany, Savannah, Macon, Rome and Column
BUS, in this State, at q rate not to exceed fifty
cents per square Of usual advertising spaoa
when less than {; column Is occupied, or more
snace as Il column or more is occupied, by in
;erting said schedule or change ofany schedule.
20 thai said newspaper shall not charge For such
Advertising any rate in excess OF that allowed
or county legal advertising and after the
'ame shall be SO published II shall be The ,iuty
# all such railroad companies 10 post at all
heir respective stations IN q conspicuous place
copy or s;tid schedule for the protection OF the
people; pr0cided, That the schedule thus prp-
'"r0.f ana published, rs aforesaid for all tie
iilto;ld companies now organized under !he |
iu-cf q % hat, :